Ground-wire connection for flexible towers



Jan. 15, 1929.

G. D. ALVORD GROW WIRE CONNECTION FOR FLEXIBLE T6WERS med Feb. 11, 1928 g Inrwsurok By Q flrromvtvs.

' WIT Patented Jan. 15, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,699,483 PATENT OFFICE.

GROVE D. ALVORD, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ARCHBOLD BRADY COM- PANY, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

GROUND-WIRE CONNECTION FOR FLEXIBLE TOWERS.

Application filed February 11, 1923.

This invention relates to a new and improved ground wire connection for flexible towers.

Supports for the wires used in transmitting electrical current, and particularly for wires which are carried a considerable distance across country for transmitting high tension current, must of necessity be so designed that they will have sufficient strength to meetthe different stresses and strains which will be placed upon them. At the same time it is desirable to have such towers as lightas possible so that they may be constructed of a minimum amount of material and so that they may be installed as easily and economically as possible. In order to accomplish this result towers of this character are usually made with only two legs and are so designed that they will not remain i sides of the tower.

rigid under an abnormal stress but will flex and yield to a certain degree under such abnormal stress. The usual method of connecting wires to towers of this character consists of attaching parallel wires on opposite Underthese conditions equal strains are placed on the two sides of the tower but if, as frequently happens, a wire is broken the strain on the two sides of the tower will become unequal and the tower will then yield to the unequal strain.

In addition to the transmission wires above mentioned these towers are required to carry two ground wires which are normally carried on the top of the towers. These ground wires are usually much stronger than the transmission wires and the danger of breakage of the ground wires is remote.

The carrying of these ground wires on the top of the tower, particularly if they are supported with a considerable distance between them as is frequently the case, will result in holding the top of the tower in a fixed posi-, tion. Under these circumstances, if a transmission wire breaks so that an abnormal strain is placed on one side of the tower, the tower cannot flex and yield to the strain because the top part of the tower is held in a fixed position by the ground wire. Under these circumstances, it is necessary to build the tower of much stronger and heavier material than would otherwise be necessary so that it will be sufliciently strong to sustain the stress caused by the breakage of a transmission wire without flexingand yielding to such stress.

Serial No. 253,651.

The main object of my invention is to provide a ground wire connection for these flexible towers which will permit the suspension of the ground wires on the top of a tower but at the same time will offer no resistance to the flexing of a tower under abnormal strain.

Other objects and advantages relate to the size, shape and arrangement of parts all as' will more fully appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of my ground wire connection.

Figure 2 is a section on line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on line 33 of Figure 1.

It will be understood that flexible towers of this character may be constructed of different materials and the exact size, shape and arrangement of parts of the towers may be varied, but for the purpose of explaining the operation of my device I have shown in Figure 2 a portion of the upper part of a tower which consists of opposed side members 1 and 2 formed of steel channels, and connected together by cross braces -3 and 4 of steel angles. The upper ends of the side members -1 and 2 are joined together by top plate 5 made of a steel channel riveted to the top of side members 1 and 2. It will be understood that the length of side members 1 and 2 and the number and position of angles -3 and 4 may be varied depending upon the desired height of the tower.

Although I have not shown the bottom part of the tower it will be understood that the lower ends of the side members 1 and 2 will be firmly anchored in the ground,' the usual manner being to embed them firmly in a concrete base.

For a purpose hereinafter to be described, I place on each end of top plate 5- guide plates 6 of similar construction and in spaced parallel relation to each other. These guide plates 6 are preferably made of steel plates and have their upper ends beveled downwardly and outwardly as shown at 7 in Figure 3.

I also provide a plurality of high tension wire supports, the number depending u on the number of wires which is to be carri by the towers. These high tension wire supports consist of a steel cross member 8- secured to side members 1 and 2 and having braces 99 extending upwardl and inwardly from their outer ends to si e members 1- and 2. I also provide insulators 1010 at the ends of cross member 8 by which the high tension Wires 1111 are supported.

My ground wire support consists of two V-shaped steel angles 12 and l3 joined together at their ends and having their central portions rigidly held in fixed spaced relation by a cross plate l4. Cross plate -14 is provided with a hole 15 at its center point of a size to correspond wit-h a hole 16 in the center point of top plate 5.

The outer ends of angles 12 and 13 are provided with depending anchor plates 17 and 18 from which are supported swivel connections --19 and 20, for the reception of ground wires 21- and -22-, and which may be ofany desired design but which I have here shown as composed of side members 23 and -24- joined together by bolts 25 and 26- and so sh aped that when in operative position they will form an aperture -27- for the reception and retention of a ground wire as 2l and which will also form on the upper central portion a socket -28 for the reception of a ball -29-.

I place my ground wire connection just described on top plate -5 with hole -15 registering with hole 16 and I then place a bolt 30 through holes 15 and 16 so that top plate 5 and cross plate l4. are held in pivotal relation.

With ground wires 21 and 22 suspended from my ground wire connection just described it will be seen that the upper portion of my main tower may be freely pivoted with relation to my ground wire connection as indicated in dotted lines on Figure 1.

Under normal conditions the angles 12 and 13 in my device will be supported intermediate cross plate 14- and the opposite ends of angles 12 and -13 on guide plates 66. If, however, the upper portion of the mam tower is pivoted a sufficient distance to move guide plates 66 from beneath angles 12 and 13 and is then returned to its normal position the angles 12 and 13 will-contact with the beveled edges 77 of guide plates 66 and willmove upwardly on to the top edges of guide plates 66. 1

It will be understood that the construction of my device permits the free flexing of the main tower irrespective of the ground Wire connection. It will also be understood that such a ground wire connection may be constructed of a shape and from materials different than I have just described without departing from the spirit of my invention,

for although I have shown and described a specific structure and form of part as an exemplification of my invention I do not desire to restrict myself to the exact size, shape and arrangement of parts as various changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, a flexible tower and a ground wire support pivotally mounted on the topof the flexible tower.

tower, and means on the top of the flexible tower for supporting the ground wire support at a point between the pivot and the end of the ground wire support;

4. In a device of the class described, a flexible tower having a plurality of supports for transmission wires, a ground wire support pivotally mounted at a point approximately midway its two ends on the top of the flexible tower, means on each end of the ground wire support for securing a ground wire thereto, and means on the top of the flexible tower for supporting the ground wire support at points betweenthe pivot and the ends of the ground wire support.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 2nd day of February, 1928.

GROVE D. ALVORD, 

